europabarbarorumfandomcom-20200214-history
Parasim Libi-Ponnim (Liby-Phoenician Cavalry)
|-|EB1= |-|EB2= EB1:Liby-Phoenician Cavalry are extremely well disciplined, since they are naught but the best regular soldiers Kart-Hadast has to offer. EB2:These are men of more than average wealth who can afford a horse in addition to a panoply of sword, armour, spear and shield. Description Shofet! These are the finest sons of Phoenician noblemen and the prettiest of the local Libyan girls. They were brought up far better than bastards deserve, and now serve as fine cavalry. The Liby-Phoenician cavalry are extremely well disciplined horsemen, since they are naught but the best regular soldiers Kart-Hadast has to offer. They use mostly Hellenistic equipment. Armored in fine scale and linen, they can last long in a melee after charging home with their lances. A fine helmet and a big round shield augments this protection, as do boots copied from the Makedonians. Historically, Carthage used its native cavalry mostly for the defense of the homeland. In the inscription mentioned by Polybios, the Liby-Phoenician cavalry is mentioned as one of the veteran troops of Hannibal in Italy. The cavalry of the Carthaginian state had an important role in crushing the Roman army of Atilivs Regvlvs when he invaded Africa in 255 BC. In the Battle of Zama in 202 BC, the Carthaginian cavalry didn’t have an important role as they were routed mainly by their own elephants, also present in the Carthaginian army. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These are men of somewhat more than average wealth who can afford a horse in addition to a panoply of sword, armour, spear and shield. These men may be politicians, wealthy land owners, extremely well off merchants or possible members of an equestrian tradition in their home city. They are not state formed or equipped and are merely those citizens of Canaanite colonies who, in times of crisis, have the equipment ready to engage in battle in defence of their home and livelihood. This is the old style and over time, as more subjects are equipped to fight by the Qarthadastim state, fewer colonials are prepared to do battle. Historically, the Phoenicians did not refer to themselves as such. Though the Greeks called them Phoenicians and the Latins Punics, the Phoenicians referred to themselves by their city of origin, Tyre, Sidon, Byblos, and so on. Even citizens of colonies referred to themselves either by their home colony, or by the name of the city that founded the colony. The only identifier Phoenicians might have used to refer to themselves as an overarching ethnicity would have been Canaanite, the name of the large ethnic group in Israel and Lebanon from which the Phoenicians emerged. This is ironic as Canaanite was originally a made up name, to describe the people that became known as the Canaanites, meaning merchants. Later Greek and Roman authors often discounted the colonies outside of Africa that Carthage controlled and referred to the colonies in Africa as Liby-Phoenician, even implying that they were inferior to Carthage because they had bred with native Libyans. Whether or not they did mix with Libyans, the Carthaginians viewed them as inferior because they were not Carthaginians, a simple, and very Phoenician, mentality. There is no evidence to suggest Carthage treated the Phoenician colonies in Africa any different from those elsewhere in Sardinia, Sicily, Malta, the Balearic Islands and Spain, except perhaps for the city of Utica, but that was a special case. If any of these colonists were to organize as a cavalry force they would have done so in the same manner, as a medium combat cavalry. Even the citizens of Carthage fought in the same way when necessary. Citizen cavalry performed admirably during the invasion of Africa by Regulus in the First Punic War as well as during the Mercenary War afterwards. Citizen cavalry from other colonies, noted as Liby-Phoenicians by later authors, joined Hasdrubal in Spain during the Second Punic War under orders from Hannibal. It is most likely they were from African colonies as Hannibal notes they were brought to Spain to ensure tight bonds between African and Spanish cities. Cavalry deployed by the Sardinian rebel Hampsicora in the Second Punic War against the Romans to try and bring the Carthaginians back to Sardinia may have been Phoenician cavalry either formed from Puno-Nuraghic nobles on the island or sent by Carthage itself to help Hampsicora's efforts. Usage The Carthaginian equivalent of the Lonchophoroi Hippeis (Hellenic Medium Cavalry), these heavy cavalry are just as versatile and well-armed to any role. From defeating or holding off the enemy cavalry to providing a supporting charge against the enemy, they are just as good. Just like their Greek counterparts however, they do not have a powerful charge due to wielding their spears overhand and they are no match for heavier cavalry. Category:Units Category:Karthadastim